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Links Unlimited set to start construction on new HQ
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Links Unlimited Inc. could break ground as early as next week on a new facility to more than double its current space.
The company, which provides promotional products and incentive products for companies, will relocate from Queensgate, at 1249 W. Seventh St., to a new, 72,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Paddock Road and Seymour Avenue in Summit Business Park.
Links Unlimited is investing $4 million in the new facility, including a six-acre land purchase from the city of Cincinnati for $503,000, scheduled to close Nov. 12.
In addition to its 12,000-square-foot space in Queensgate, Links Unlimited currently leases up to 20,000 square feet of space for warehousing items and another 1,600 square feet of additional office space in Longworth Hall. The new facility will put all local operations under one roof with 56,000 square feet of warehouse space. The remaining area will serve as office space for the 40-employee company.
About 20 office employees will move into that space once it's finished, but it's being designed to accommodate as many as 60 office employees as the company expands.
"It's going to be bigger than what we need when we move in, but it will be efficient for us to grow into it," said Scott Kooken, co-owner of Links Unlimited. "It's motivation to grow."
Miller-Valentine Group is providing real estate services to Links Unlimited, from helping the company find the site to construction. Pete Horton, vice president of business development for Miller-Valentine, said the hardest part was finding the right piece of land.
"This site fell into their sweet spot because it's central to the city," Horton said.
The building will have a number of unique features for its employees, including a retail-style coffee bar, an indoor courtyard, an exercise facility and a golf-hitting bay, where employees can test out the latest products and even work on their swings during lunch breaks. It also will be built with a goal of being LEED Silver, but definitely LEED-certified.
Links Unlimited was bursting at the seams at its current locations. Kooken said he could hire up to eight new employees immediately if he had more space.
"We need people right now, but we have no where to put them," he said.
The company has continued to grow during the recession. Revenue last year was roughly $20 million. This year, Kooken expects to end the year at $30 million in revenue.
Patrick Ewing, interim economic development director for the city of Cincinnati, said Links Unlimited will receive a 50 percent job creation tax credit for retaining 29 jobs and adding 10 new jobs within the next five years. In addition, since the building will be LEED-certified, the city is providing a 15-year LEED CRA property tax abatement of 75 percent of the new value of the property.
"In this economy in the last two years, the theme has been hold on to what you have, grow the businesses that are already here," Ewing said.
Links Unlimited has three divisions:
• The point-based redemption division that manages product offerings for reward points programs;
• The co-branding products division, where Links Unlimited brings in products like golf balls and umbrellas and puts companies' logos on them; and
• The gift with purchase division, which provides national clients with items to give customers for purchasing or testing other products.
This move marks the first design/build location for Links Unlimited and its fifth move since the company was founded 16 years ago. Once ground is broken on the project, it is expected to take eight months to complete.
Read more: Links Unlimited set to start construction on new HQ | Business Courier
